The Turner Tales
by TopsyTurvyTurners
Summary: Welcome to The Turner Tales! This fan-fiction is going to consist of different one-shots all based on members of the Turner family and - quite possibly - their colleagues and friends. I love writing for the Turners and I hope that you will all love these one-shots as much as I know I'm going to love writing them! Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing!
1. Chapter One - Teddy's Birth

**Author's Note: Happy reading! x**

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 **Chapter One - Teddy's Birth**

Neither one of them had moved from their intimate position. Ever since Sister Julienne had left after giving the newborn a warm sponge bath and ensuring that the placenta was intact the enraptured parents had been sat together, Shelagh's back pressed against Patrick's chest as she was sat between his legs and he was leaning against the headboard of their bed. The birth of their son had been long and tiring but Shelagh had soldiered on, breathing and whimpering her way through each contraction until her little boy - the baby she had prayed for for so many years - had released his first feeble wail.

When she and her husband had been alone after Sister Julienne had left she had insisted that they named their son Edward - Teddy for short - after Patrick's father. She had remembered the times that her husband had told her about his father - about what he was like and about how strong their bond had been when he had been a child - and she had thought that since Patrick had agreed to the two of them choosing Angela for their daughter's name in honour of her previous vocation, that it would be nice to name their son after his father. Besides, Edward suited the settled newborn very well indeed.

Shelagh caressed Edward's smooth cheek with a simple stroke of her index finger a short time later, sighing as she allowed Patrick's chest to take her weight and his shoulder to cradle her head. The tears of happiness and relief that she had been crying after her son had been eased into her arms were now drying on her cheeks and lower eyelashes and there was a permanent smile on her lips as she held her baby close to her chest. He wasn't even an hour old and yet she was already besotted with him.

He was everything she had hoped for and so much more.

It was the feeling of her husband tucking her sweat-soaked hair back beneath her ear that drew her out of her thoughts, a surge of warmth coursing through her when she felt Patrick's lips against the patch of skin that the action revealed to him. 'I couldn't be prouder of you.' His lips grazed her ear while he whispered into it and traced her sides with his hands through her nightgown, her piercing blue eyes sparkling when she turned her head in his direction and caught his gaze. 'My brave girl.'

She allowed him to capture her lower lip in a soft and warm kiss, his thumb and index finger taking hold of her chin as their lips caressed with ease. Patrick feathered a kiss against her forehead after bringing their kiss to an end, smiling as it was still rather sweaty. He had known that she would sail through the birth - she was a trained midwife after all; she knew what was happening to her body which helped a little, he supposed - but nothing could have prepared him for the intense surge of pride that had coursed through his veins when he had watched her push their son into the world.

He had helped with so many births and had felt pride in the new mother afterwards but this was different. He had just helped his wife find the strength and motivation to deliver their son and he knew in his heart that he couldn't be prouder of her if he tried. She was so brave and so amazing.

The sound of Edward's whimpers brought him back to the present, a smile spreading across his features as he glanced down at his son and watched as he attempted to latch onto his mother through her nightgown. 'Patience, my dearest one, patience…' Shelagh soothed as she brought Edward away from her chest for a moment, gentle shushes escaping her as she pulled the sleeve of her nightgown down her arm to reveal a breast. It was just seconds later when she had managed to help her son latch onto her and he was suckling, her eyes filled with nothing but love for him as she leaned back against her husband. 'When he's finished with his feed would it be alright if you help me to change into a clean nightgown?' She asked her husband. 'I'm not feeling very comfortable in this.'

'Of course, my love.' He kissed her cheek.

'Thank you, dearest.' She hummed sleepily when he wrapped his arms around her waist. 'I still feel as though I'm dreaming.' She admitted while cradling the back of Edward's head in her hand. 'There have been so many nights when I've dreamt about this exact moment and then woken up disappointed. I feel as though I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning and all of this will have been another dream.'

'None of this has been a dream, darling.' Patrick told her after dropping a kiss to her warm shoulder. 'You'll realise that for yourself when this little one is screaming for another feed in a few hours.' The two of them laughed at that before Patrick traced the outline of Edward's face with his finger and heard the faint coo that he released against his mother's breast, Shelagh revelling in the sound.

She was unable to stop herself from lowering her head and leaving several little kisses on Edward's hairline and forehead as he nursed, tears burning in the back of her eyes once again when she drew back and gazed down at him. She watched as his deep blue eyes fluttered open and his gaze locked with hers, her love for him deepening when she offered him her little finger and he took it instantly. 'He's just so perfect.' She breathed. 'I hope that Angela is going to understand why you and I have to spend so much time with Teddy. It would break my heart if she thought that we had forgotten her.'

'We had a talk with her just a few days ago, darling, remember?' Patrick nuzzled her neck.

She sighed in response. 'Yes, but she's four years old, Patrick. I doubt she really understood half of what you and I were saying to her; she was much too interested in playing with her doll house. Perhaps we could have another talk with her when Granny Parker brings she and Tim back in the morning. She might understand a little more now that Teddy's actually here.' Her eyes fell closed on instinct when she felt her husband leave a trail of tender kisses along the slope of her slender neck.

'Alright.' He nodded.

She turned her head in his direction again once he had removed his lips from her neck, the two of them sharing a smile when he leaned his forehead against hers. 'I love you.' She told him softly.

'I love you too.' He replied while grazing the tip of her nose with his. 'You're so beautiful.'

'Only _you_ would say that when I look like this.' She giggled. 'But thank you.'

'You could wear rags and I would still think you were the most beautiful woman on earth.' He sighed.

'Such a flatterer.' She smirked before pecking at his lips.

It was a short time later when she realised that Teddy's suckling was a lot less frequent, a wave of unconditional love for him hitting her when she glanced down at him and saw that he had fallen asleep at her breast. 'It would seem as though I'm not the only one who's worn out after today's events.' She laughed, keeping her voice soft so not to disturb her son from his slumber. 'Sweet dreams, my beautiful boy.' She lowered her head to kiss him on the forehead before bringing him away from her breast, a snuffle escaping him as she drew his blanket further around his frame.

'Let me take him, love.' Patrick said from where he was sat behind her. 'I can get him changed into some pyjamas and put him to bed. Then we can set about getting you changed and settled too.' Shelagh nodded in response before she shifted forward on the bed to give her husband room to move and get up, Patrick accepting their newborn from her before he drew him close and gazed down at him with love and pride shining in his eyes. 'He's so perfect, Shelagh. You did so well.'

She smiled and blushed at the praise that she received from him before she leaned back against the headboard and watched as he walked over to the set of drawers on the other side of the room, her lips curling up into a smile when he approached the bed again with Teddy cradled in one arm and a pair of pyjamas and a cloth in his free hand.

It took him mere minutes to get their son ready for bed, Teddy letting out a little whimper as Patrick brought him into the cradle of his arms again. 'Let's say goodnight to Mummy.' Patrick whispered before he carried his son over to Shelagh, his wife giving Teddy a delicate kiss on the tip of his button nose before allowing Patrick to put him into his basket.

'One down; one to go.' Her husband chuckled as he walked over to her wardrobe to search for a nightgown for her, Shelagh giggling in response as she clasped her hands and rested them in her lap. She rolled her eyes at him in a loving fashion when he reached for her bri-nylon nightgown straight away, the two of them sharing a tender smile as he walked back over to the bed.

'How did I know you would choose that one?' She teased.

'Telepathy?' He smirked with a quirk of his brow.

Within moments Patrick had aided her in changing out of her sweat-soaked nightgown and into the fresh one, his hand seeking out her cheek before he kissed her lips after helping her to slip beneath the covers of their bed. 'Could you bring Teddy's basket a little closer?' She asked him as he sat on the edge of the bed. 'Just so I don't have to keep getting in and out of bed when he wakes in the night?'

Her husband nodded before standing and walking over to their son's basket, Shelagh watching him as she hoped with all her might that Teddy wouldn't stir. Thankfully, he didn't and once the Moses basket was pressed against her side of the bed she reached in to stroke the infant's hair. 'Goodnight, darling.' She whispered before turning to face her husband when she felt the quilt shift and the mattress dip beneath her as Patrick climbed into bed. She turned the lamp that sat atop her nightstand off before laying down beside her husband, a contented sigh leaving her lips when Patrick drew her close to him.

'Close your eyes, Shelagh.' He kissed the top of her head as she pressed her face into his throat, using the tips of his fingers to comb out the tangles in her hair as the honey-blonde strands hung down her back. 'Get some sleep.' He could feel her eyelashes and breath beating against his skin as she nodded her reply, his hold around her tightening as he rested his chin on her crown and sighed in satisfaction.

He still couldn't find the words to explain how proud he was of her; he doubted he ever would.

There was one thing that he knew for certain though...

He was _never_ going to stop trying to find them.

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 **Author's Note: Thank you for reading and please review to let me know what you thought! x**


	2. Chapter Two - Home

**Author's Note: I'm not too sure what I think of this one...I _think_ i like it, but I'm not sure, haha! Please enjoy!**

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 **Chapter Two - Home**

Shelagh was unable to resist the urge to run the backs of her fingers down Angela's cheek when she was perched on the edge of her bed at Granny Parker's house on the night of her and Patrick's return from South Africa, her eyes holding nothing but love for her as she watched her sleep without a care in the world. Her blonde hair was splayed out over her pillowcase as she slept with her thumb in her mouth, her thick dark eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks as she released the daintiest of snores.

To say that she had missed her children when she and her husband had been in South Africa was an understatement. It was the first time she had ever been away from the two of them for so long and - even though she had loved caring for the patients of Hope Clinic - she had felt an aching in her heart that hadn't left until she and Patrick had gotten off of the aeroplane at the airport earlier that evening.

She had missed reading stories to Angela before tucking her in and kissing her goodnight every night; she had missed hearing Timothy groan and seeing him roll his eyes whenever Patrick gave her a kiss, but the thing she had missed the most was hearing them laugh together. It was one of her favourite things. She knew that she didn't have to brood about that anymore though, because she had both of her enchanting children with her now and she knew that everything was about to go back to normal.

When Angela shifted into a more comfortable position beneath her floral quilt Shelagh leaned down to kiss the side of her head, trying to make her kiss as soft and light as she could so not to disturb her little girl from her slumber. However, Angela's slumber hadn't been as deep as she had believed it to be and so when she started to stir Shelagh sighed. It was a few moments later when Angela turned onto her back as she rubbed at her eyes, a gasp escaping her when her gaze fell upon her mother.

'Mummy!' She exclaimed.

'Shh, Angel Girl...it's late.' Shelagh shushed her with a giggle before tucking a strand of her hair back beneath her ear, Angela beaming at her as her eyes twinkled with happiness. 'Daddy and I planned to surprise you when you came downstairs in the morning, but you know we're home now.' She tutted, causing Angela to giggle. 'I missed you so much, darling.' She whispered before kissing her forehead.

'Missed you too.' Angela told her before she got out from beneath her quilt and crawled into her lap.

There was something so perfect about the way that Angela snuggled against her chest; about the way that she burrowed beneath her chin before turning her face into her throat. Shelagh ran a hand up and down the length of her three-year-old's spine through her pyjama top before kissing the crown of her head and breathing in her natural scent. Oh, she smelled divine. 'You need to go back to sleep, angel.' Shelagh whispered into her hair. 'The sun is going to be up in a few hours and then we can go home.'

'I sleep here.' Angela told her, her warm breath beating against her skin as she spoke.

Shelagh couldn't find it in her to refuse. 'Very well.' She smiled.

She then cradled the back of Angela's head in her palm, brushing her thumb against the blonde hair beneath it as she rocked back and forth with her to lull her back into slumber. She was able to feel her daughter's eyelashes fluttering against the skin of her throat; was able to feel her puffs of breath, and she adored it more than she could explain. A fortnight without her daughter had been sheer torture.

Even after Angela had drifted back off to sleep, Shelagh didn't move. She continued rocking Angela; continued dropping kisses to the top of her head every now and again, and went on stroking her hair. It was a short time later when she heard a faint knocking on the bedroom door, a tired smile forming on her lips when she looked up and watched her husband enter the room. 'I knew I would find you in here.' Patrick teased as he approached her, running his hand along her spine when he sat next to her.

'I never want to leave her again.' Shelagh told him, turning her head in his direction. 'I never want to leave her _or_ Timothy again.' Patrick offered her a loving smile before brushing a kiss against her lips.

'And you won't have to, sweetheart.' He told her. 'I promise you.'

Shelagh sighed with relief.

'Granny Parker has said that we can use her room to get a few hours of sleep before we have to drive home after breakfast.' He told her. 'Why don't you put Angela back into bed and come with me?' He stroked their daughter's long blonde hair as it hung down her back in waves.

'I don't think I can let go of her.' Shelagh laughed. 'Can she come with us?'

Patrick pressed a kiss to her cheek. 'Of course she can.' He smiled. 'It's been too long since she's shared a bed with us.' The two of them chortled together before getting up from the bed, Shelagh shushing Angela as she balanced her on her hip before she followed Patrick out of the room and into the room opposite it. Once he had closed the bedroom door behind them she walked over to the large bed in the centre of the room before drawing back the covers and laying Angela down on the mattress.

She then lowered herself down onto the bed before covering herself and Angela with the quilt and wrapping her arms around her as Patrick turned off the light, a contented sigh escaping her when she buried her nose in Angela's hair. She watched as her husband walked over to the bed before climbing in beside she and their daughter, her heart swelling with love for him when he kissed her forehead.

'I loved it in South Africa, Patrick,' She told him as the two of them settled down to sleep, 'I loved the time we got to spend together and I loved being able to help the patients of Hope Clinic, but…'

'But…?' Patrick caressed her side beneath the covers.

'But - despite how beautiful South Africa is - I'd rather be here, with our children, than anywhere else.'

'Me too, my darling.' He replied, smiling into the darkness. 'Me too.'

'I love you, Patrick…' She mumbled, a quiet chuckle leaving him as he could tell she was drifting off.

'I love you too, Shelagh.' He told her. 'Now get some sleep.'

It was just moments later when her soft snores joined those of their daughter, reassuring him that she was no longer fighting against the clutches of slumber.

Yes, two weeks alone with her; two weeks of having a child-free bed had been bliss, but she had taken the words right out of his mouth when she had admitted that she would rather be with her children than anywhere else on earth.

Their children were their whole world and more and wherever they were they would want to be too.

For as long as they could.

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 **Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed that and please review to let me know what you thought! See you next time!**


	3. Chapter Three - Timothy's Illness

**Author's Note: Please enjoy!**

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 **Chapter Three - Timothy's Illness**

She allowed the tips of her fingers to dance along the outside of Timothy's arm while he snoozed in her arms on his bed one afternoon, a soft smile on her lips as she was able to feel his warm breath beating against the side of her neck as he was snuggled into her side. It had been almost a week since her soon-to-be stepson had come down with a head cold and it had made her heart hurt to know that he was spending all day in the flat on his own while his father was at the surgery, hence the reason she had suggested to Patrick that she stayed in the flat with Tim in the day just in case he needed her.

Her fiance had been fully on board with her idea and so every day without fail - for the last six days - she had either been sat on a chair at Timothy's bedside or laying beside him as she held him in her arms. Her love for him was so deep and so pure - deeper than she had ever imagined it would be - and she knew that that love was just going to continue to get deeper and deeper as the years passed.

Turning her head in Tim's direction she gave his forehead a delicate kiss. 'I love you.' She allowed her lips to graze his skin as she spoke to him, the hand that was around his waist tightening its hold of him before she snugged him closer and allowed him to nuzzle further into her neck. There was something so perfect about knowing that he needed her; about knowing that he didn't want her to leave him. Even though the wedding was still far off she was already starting to feel like his mother.

She had always had a soft spot for him - even before she had been sent to the sanatorium to have the triple treatment. She had known that he and Patrick had drifted apart after Marianne's passing and she had been there for him, reassuring him that even if he felt as though he couldn't go to his father about something then he could always come to her. She supposed that that was why he found it so easy to approach her and ask her to cuddle him whenever he was upset about something _now._

It was a few moments later when she felt him stir in her arms and she turned his head towards him again, a loving smile appearing on her lips as she ran her fingers through his hair to help him rouse slowly. 'Auntie Shelagh?' He mumbled as he curled his fingers into the thin fabric of her dress.

'I'm here, dearest.' She reassured him with a kiss to his temple. 'How are you feeling?'

'I have a headache.' He admitted. 'Can I have some more paracetamol now?'

She glanced over at the clock for a second before sweeping her hand through his hair one she was satisfied that it had been a number of hours since he had last taken the medication. 'Yes, darling, you can. Would you like to stay here while I go downstairs and get them for you?' Tim nodded while he looked up at her, the discomfort evident in his eyes when she stroked his cheek with the back of her hand and removed herself from his hold. 'I'll be back in two ticks, I promise.' She gave him a smile.

She then drew his quilt up to his chin before stepping out onto the landing and heading downstairs to find the paracetamol.

It wasn't long until she returned to his bedroom and saw that he was sitting up in bed while leaning against the headboard, his eyes half-lidded as he watched her approach him. 'Here you are, dearest.' She kept her voice soft as she tipped two pills out into the palm of her hand before offering them to him, Timothy accepting them from her before he popped them into his mouth and took a sip from the glass of water that sat atop his nightstand.

Once he had set his glass back down on the nightstand he shifted over on the bed, Shelagh feeling her heart swell as she knew that it was his silent request for her to sit with him once more. 'Auntie Shelagh?' She heard him say once she had joined him on the bed again and had let him settle in her arms, a quiet hum escaping her as she buried kisses in his hair. 'I like your cuddles.' He sighed softly.

'I'm glad.' She smiled against the top of his head. 'You know that I love you, don't you? I may not be your birth mother and I know that I'll never be able to replace her - not that I would want to - but I do love you, Timothy.' Tim tilted his head back on her chest before pressing a kiss onto her cheek.

'I love you too.' He told her before draping his arm across her stomach again. 'Thank you for saying that you'll marry my Dad; I've missed having a Mum.' Shelagh felt her heart flutter. Even though he hadn't called her "Mum" directly, he had just revealed to her in his own way that that was how he viewed her and it made her happier than she could explain. 'I know that you have to go back to the boarding house tonight, but will you come back again tomorrow? I want you to be here with me.'

'I'll come back every day until you're well again, sweetness.' She stroked his face. 'There is nowhere else I would rather be, I mean that with all my heart.' The two of them shared a smile then before Tim buried his head beneath her chin and pressed his face into her throat, Shelagh giving him a gentle squeeze before she felt him sigh in contentment against her skin.

Even though she hadn't carried him inside of her for nine months and hadn't been the one to push him into the world or to nurse him, she would never view him as anything other than her son.

As soon as she and Patrick had been pronounced husband and wife she would be Timothy's mother for the rest of her life and just the thought of that made her all the more impatient for her wedding.

She couldn't wait to hold him in her arms whenever he was ill and never have to leave him.

She couldn't wait to tuck him into bed and kiss him goodnight every evening.

But most of all, she couldn't wait to have the title of his Mum.

A title that she knew she was going to honour for the rest of her days.

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 **Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed that and that you will all come back for the next chapter which should be up tomorrow night! Please review :-)**


	4. Chapter Four - The Perfect Day

**Author's Note: Please enjoy!**

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 **Chapter Four - The Perfect Day**

Patrick couldn't help but chuckle when he was sat on a blanket on the beach one afternoon and he watched while Shelagh and Angela played on the shore, his wife holding their little girl's hand in her own as she jumped over each wave as it came in. He was able to hear the two of them giggling from where he was sat and it just made his love for them both deeper.

Angela looked so beautiful in the pale blue swimming costume that her mother had bought for her for their long weekend in Torquay and he had to admit that his wife looked radiant in the floral summer dress that she had chosen to wear. The smile that was on her lips didn't go unnoticed by him and he felt a wave of relief wash over him at the sight of it.

She had been so tired and emotional over the last couple of weeks - all of her demands as a working woman, a wife and a mother to their two children had taken their toll on her - and it had been on the night that Patrick had found her crying while sat on the edge of their bed that he had told her that he had thought a couple of days away had been on the cards.

She had attempted to tell him that the two of them didn't have time for a weekend away but he had known that if she had continued to push herself then she would have burned out. He had reminded her of when he had had his breakdown due to exhaustion and all of the stress that he had been under and he had told her that he didn't want to see her go through that, which had led her to agree to having a couple of days away from Poplar and from her work.

Now, as he watched her lower herself down to Angela's level in order to give her forehead a kiss, he could tell that she wasn't thinking about all of the demands that were waiting for her back at home. She was letting herself live in the moment and make the most of the time that she was able to spend with him and their children and he loved seeing how relaxed she was.

A tender smile spread across his features when he saw Angela running over to him a short time later, the love that he held for her evident in his eyes as he opened his arms to her and allowed her to enter his lap once she had reached him. 'You're all wet, Angel Girl!; He wound his arms around her waist as he chuckled before snugging her closer to his chest, his perfect little girl blessing him with a warm smile as she met his gaze. 'Did you and Mummy have fun?'

She nodded in response before grasping his shirt in her hand and resting her head on his shoulder, Patrick running his fingers through her windswept hair as he watched Shelagh walk over to the two of them. 'Where's Tim disappeared to?' She asked as she sat down beside him.

'He went to get some ice cream for him and Angela a few minutes ago.' He told her. 'Which means that I get to have my girls all to myself until he gets back.' He unwound one arm from around Angela's waist before wrapping it around Shelagh's and drawing her closer, revelling in the sigh that she released when he placed a kiss on her brow. 'Are you enjoying yourself?' He inquired once she had rested her head on his shoulder and pressed her face into his neck.

'I am.' She nodded before kissing the underside of his jaw. 'I'm sorry if I've been snappish or short-tempered with you and the children over the last couple of weeks; I never intended to be, I've just been so tired.' Patrick turned his head in her direction in order to look into her eyes.

'You don't need to apologise darling.' He shook his head. 'You've done nothing wrong.'

She blessed him with a smile. 'I think - when we're back in Poplar - I'm going to stop trying to do everything all at once.' She removed a piece of lint from his shirt as she gazed up at him.

'That's what I've been telling you to do for months.' He teased, causing her to giggle. 'You are an incredible wife, Shelagh, and you are the best mother in Poplar but you're not a machine. You need to let yourself relax every now and again just like everyone else does, sweetheart.'

'I know that now.' She reassured him while stroking Angela's hair with the palm of her hand, a smile on her lips as she could tell that her little girl had grown tired whilst playing in the sea. She tilted her head back against her husband's shoulder after caressing Angela's cheek, her eyes holding nothing but love for him as she looked into his eyes. 'Kiss me, Patrick.' She sighed.

He ran his hand along the curve of her side as he grazed his nose against hers for a second before capturing her lips in a slow kiss, Shelagh tracing the sharpness of his jaw with the tips of her fingers as they allowed their kiss to linger. 'Mum; Dad, there are other people here, you know!' The two of them parted at the sound of their son's voice before laughing at the slight frown that was on his face when he sat down on the blanket and gave Angela her ice cream.

Shelagh snuggled further into her husband's warmth when a silence fell over they and their children, her eyes sparkling as she placed her lips beside his ear. 'This has been the perfect day.' She whispered before kissing him on the cheek and settling into his embrace again.

'It has, my love.' He leaned his forehead against hers.

And the two of them knew that there were many, _many_ more perfect days ahead of them.

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 **Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed that and please review!**


	5. Chapter Five - The Perfect Name

**Author's Note: Please enjoy!**

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 **Chapter Five - The Perfect Name**

There was a soft smile on Shelagh's lips when she was perched on the edge of the sofa just hours after she and her husband had brought their little girl home from the adoption centre, nothing but love for her daughter in her eyes as she held her in the cradle of her arms while rocking back and forth with her in a soothing motion in an attempt to get her off to sleep.

Patting the small of her back through her nightgown with the palm of her hand, she found that she was powerless to resist the urge to lower her head and place a kiss on her forehead. She allowed her kiss to linger for just a second in order to breathe in her daughter's new baby smell, a quiet giggle escaping her when she drew back and saw that she was gazing up at her.

'You're not tired at all, are you, little one?' She sighed after easing an arm out from beneath her and bringing her hand to her face, revelling in the snuffle that the infant gave as she ran the back of her index finger down her cheek in a slow caress. There weren't words to describe just how strong her love was for her daughter. She meant the whole world and more to her.

It was a short time later when she sensed a presence in the room with she and her daughter and she glanced up from her, a blissful smile appearing on her lips when her gaze landed on her husband and she saw that he was leaning against the doorjamb. 'Do you have any idea of how perfect the two of you look together?' Patrick raised his brow at her, causing her to blush.

She heard him chuckle as she lowered her gaze to the babe in her arms once again, a sigh of happiness escaping her as she saw that her little girl was starting to stop fighting against the pull of slumber. The sofa dipped somewhat beneath her when Patrick sat down next to her a few moments later, a surge of warmth coursing through her veins when he slid his arm around her waist and she allowed him to draw her into his embrace with a kiss to the side of her head.

'Isn't she beautiful, Patrick?' She whispered as she snugged their daughter closer.

'She certainly is.' He nodded before reaching out to stroke the infant's cheek with his fingers.

'I still can't believe that she's ours.' She admitted. 'I mean, just this morning I was praying for the adoption centre to telephone and tell us that they had a baby for us and now I'm holding our daughter in my arms. I can't tell you how perfect that feels.' There were tears sparkling in her eyes when she turned her head in Patrick's direction, her husband blessing her with that charming side-smile of his before he leaned in to press the slowest of kisses onto her forehead.

When he drew back from her skin he noticed that her joyful expression had been replaced by a somewhat solemn one and he frowned in concern. 'What is it, my darling?' He asked softly.

Shelagh sighed. 'It's just that - even though I feel happier than I have in weeks - there have been moments when I've remembered that somewhere there's a young girl who's just had her daughter taken off of her. I can't even begin to imagine how heartbroken she must be.'

Patrick was able to hear the emotion in his wife's voice as she cast her gaze down at their little girl who was now sound asleep in her arms, his hand running up and down the length of her back through her blouse. 'You could always write a letter to her.' He told her. 'I know that it's a long shot and that she might not receive it, but at least if you write one then it's there if she ever asks about her.' Shelagh turned her attention back to him before smiling lovingly.

'That's a perfect idea.' She nodded before accepting the slow kiss that he left on her lips.

The two of them then fell into a comfortable silence for a time while they watched their little girl sleep, their hearts fit to burst with the love that they possessed for her as her snuffles and snores filled the air. 'I've just this second realised that we don't even have a name for her yet.' Shelagh said with a giggle, Patrick chuckling as he gave her waist an affectionate squeeze.

'Have you got an idea of what you would like it to be?' He asked her.

Shelagh shook her head. 'Not her first name, no, but I do have an idea for her middle name.'

'Go on.' He smiled.

'Well, since we've both decided that we want Sister Julienne to be her Godmother I thought that we could use Julienne for her middle name.' She admitted, her eyes sparkling with hope.

Patrick stroked her hair with the palm of his hand. 'I like it.'

'You do?' She asked, giggling when he kissed her lips.

'I do.' The two of them turned their attention back to their little girl when she whimpered in her sleep a few minutes later, Shelagh letting out quiet shushes as she bounced her a little in her arms to settle her once again. 'She's such an angel.' Patrick breathed once their daughter had drifted back into her deep slumber, he and his wife sharing a knowing glance when their eyes met again. 'You know…' He smirked, 'Angela has a nice ring to it.' Shelagh giggled softly.

'It does.' She agreed before testing the name out. 'Angela Julienne Turner.'

'The perfect name.' Patrick whispered into her ear before tightening his hold of her.

'For our perfect baby girl.' She dropped a final kiss to Angela's brow before leaning against her husband's chest and burying her head beneath his chin, her eyes fluttering closed when he pressed his lips to the top of her head.

Yes, Angela Julienne Turner was indeed the _perfect_ name.

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 **Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed that and please leave a review to let me know what you thought! See you next time!**


	6. Chapter Six - Dance

**Author's Note: A shorter one this time, guys, sorry about that! I just didn't have much inspiration for this chapter, haha! x**

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 **Chapter Six - Dance**

'Come here, Mrs. Turner, and dance with me.' Patrick smiled once he had set up the record player in the sitting room one evening and Jim Reeve's voice filtered out of it, Shelagh smiling up at him as she drew circles into the bulging swell of her stomach with the palm of her hand.

She couldn't help but giggle when her husband proffered his hand to her with a twinkle in his eye, a sigh escaping her as she rolled her eyes with a smirk before pushing herself up into a sitting position and slipping her hand into Patrick's so that he could help her stand 'My beautiful wife.' He sighed as he drew Shelagh close and held her to him with one hand on her lower back, her hand resting on his shoulder as she gazed up into his eyes.

'I'm far from beautiful at the moment, Patrick.' She told him. 'I'm beginning to resemble some kind of beached whale and I can't even walk upstairs without breaking into a sweat.' Her eyes drifted closed when her he pressed his lips to her forehead while continuing to lead her through their dance, her heart racing when she opened her eyes again and he offered her a dashing side-smile.

'There isn't a single inch of you that is anything less than beautiful.' He told her. 'You're carrying my baby now, as well, which makes you all the more beautiful in my eyes.' He pressed his forehead to hers before allowing their noses to graze, revelling in the quiet sound of appreciation that she released when he captured her lips with his own in a long and slow kiss.

He lingered on her lower lip for just a moment when the two of them parted as the need for air became too urgent to ignore, Shelagh's eyes remaining closed as she was still able to feel his kiss on her lips before she felt her unborn child kick and her eyes flickered open as she rested her free hand on her stomach. 'I love you, Patrick Turner.' She whispered as she gazed up into his eyes.

'I love you too, Shelagh.' He reassured her. 'Now come here and kiss me.'

His heart swelled with love for her when she giggled before she went up onto her tiptoes and rested her hand on the back of his neck, his hand settling on the small of her back to balance her as she drew him down into a delicious kiss. The kisses that they shared started off soft and chaste but soon became slow and deep, Patrick's free hand going to her hair as they held one another close.

The two of them were so wrapped up in one another that they didn't even notice when the music ended, the soft smacks of their lips the only sound to be heard as they ran their fingers through one another's hair and their tongues danced together.

Hmm...perhaps not all dancing required the use of the feet.

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 **Author's Note: Thank you all so much for reading this chapter and please review to let me know what you thought! x**


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